Last Gun Alchemist

After everyone heard Maxwell’s answer...

The entire hall fell quiet for only a brief moment.

Then...

The low conversations resumed once again.

Only this time...

Almost every whisper revolved around a single name.

”Andraver?”

A young noble sitting three rows away frowned in confusion as he looked toward Maxwell.

His brows knitted together.

”Who’s that?”

Another boy lowered his voice, yet it was still loud enough for several people around him to hear.

”Is he some hidden Alchemist I’ve never heard of?”

”He has to be, right?”

A girl folded her arms while thinking deeply.

”My family has records of many famous Alchemists, even those who disappeared from the public eye years ago.”

She slowly shook her head.

”But I’ve never heard of anyone named Andraver.”

”So...”

A boy shrugged.

”He’s just some unknown Alchemist.”

Someone immediately disagreed.

”Unknown?”

He glanced at Maxwell.

”If he’s the person who gave that kid an admission slot... then he can’t possibly be ordinary.”

Another boy nodded.

”That commoner is definitely hiding something.”

More discussions spread throughout the hall.

Some openly mocked Maxwell.

Some questioned his identity.

Others simply watched him in silence, trying to remember whether they had ever heard the name Andraver before.

Not everyone reacted the same way.

At the front of the hall...

The Vice Head Master’s pupils suddenly contracted.

Andraver...

His calm expression almost broke for the first time that morning.

He has a disciple?

His old eyes quietly shifted toward Maxwell.

The surprise inside them was impossible to hide completely.

Moments later...

His gaze moved toward the professors standing beside him.

Several elderly instructors wore almost identical expressions.

Their eyes revealed the same disbelief.

It was as though they had just heard the name of someone who should never have been connected to the present.

The professor standing at the podium also looked silently toward Maxwell.

A moment later...

He noticed the Vice Head Master’s gaze.

Their eyes met briefly.

Nothing was spoken.

Yet...

He immediately understood the meaning behind that look.

That child...

The professor thought inwardly.

He doesn’t even realize what kind of storm he just created.

His expression remained calm and professional.

Only his thoughts had changed.

He quietly looked back toward Maxwell.

The young boy awkwardly scratched the back of his head while listening to the whispers spreading throughout the hall.

Mockery.

Curiosity.

Suspicion.

The emotions mixed together from every direction.

Yet...

He still wore the expression of someone who had absolutely no idea what everyone was making such a fuss about.

Within the section occupied by the representatives of Burnwick...

Ravenor slowly folded his arms.

His sharp eyes quietly examined Maxwell.

So...

The man Father mentioned...

Has a disciple, huh...

After all these years...

He even actually exists.

Ravenor silently observed Maxwell from head to toe.

His senses naturally spread toward the young boy.

Yet...

He couldn’t detect even the slightest fluctuation of Cognis of someone in a high rank.

That immediately made him frown.

Impossible.

If that boy truly inherited Andraver’s teachings...

His strength shouldn’t be this ordinary.

Unless...

He’s deliberately hiding his Cognis.

Ravenor calmly withdrew his senses.

His expression quickly returned to normal.

Whether Maxwell truly was Andraver’s disciple...

Or merely someone using the name...

He would eventually find out.

There was no need to rush.

The Royal Academy had only just begun.

Not far away...

Ezra also quietly looked toward Maxwell.

Even Lucy couldn’t hide her surprise.

Her eyes moved between Maxwell and the professors several times.

Finally...

She leaned slightly closer toward Ezra.

Her voice became soft enough that only he could hear.

”Master...”

She glanced toward Maxwell again.

”Didn’t Uncle Rogers say Andraver was already dead?”

Ezra remained silent for a few moments.

His calm black eyes continued observing Maxwell.

The boy’s posture...

His expression...

Even the way he handled everyone’s attention.

Only after quietly thinking for a while did Ezra answer.

”It’s possible... that before Andraver died... he accepted a disciple. He may have intended for someone to inherit his path.”

His voice remained as calm as always.

Lucy slowly nodded.

”That actually makes sense.”

She looked toward Maxwell once more.

”A legendary Alchemist like Andraver would naturally possess a Royal Academy recommendation slot.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

”But...”

She couldn’t hide her curiosity.

Ezra continued looking toward Maxwell for another brief moment.

Then...

He calmly turned his attention back toward the stage.

Whatever Maxwell’s identity was...

It wasn’t something worth thinking deeply about right now.

After several minutes...

The discussions throughout the hall gradually settled.

The professor lightly tapped the podium.

Order immediately returned.

His gaze calmly rested upon Maxwell.

”Student Maxwell.”

His voice echoed clearly through the hall.

”This isn’t the appropriate time for students to ask questions.”

He paused briefly.

”However... I’ll make an exception.”

His tone remained firm.

”What is your question?”

The moment those words were spoken...

Maxwell felt every gaze inside the hall fall upon him once again.

The pressure became noticeably heavier than before.

It even surpassed what he had experienced earlier at the train station.

Some students openly examined him.

Others quietly spread their senses.

Several were clearly attempting to judge his strength.

Master...

Maxwell sighed inwardly.

You never warned me that academy life would begin like this.

Even so...

A faint smile slowly appeared on his face.

”My question isn’t really...”

”Speak, Student Maxwell.”

The professor interrupted him.

His deep voice carried unmistakable authority.

Maxwell immediately straightened.

”S-Sorry...”

He awkwardly bowed.

”Sorry.”

He took a slow breath.

The smile faded.

When he raised his head again...

The awkward boy everyone had been looking at moments earlier seemed to disappear.

His eyes became calm.

Focused.

”You just said...”

He looked directly at the professor.

”...that from our first year until graduation... everyone here will have to fight to reach the top of the rankings.”

His serious expression immediately caught several people’s attention.

Many professors quietly looked at him.

Several high-ranking young nobles also narrowed their eyes.

Even a few members of the Royal Family became interested.

Maxwell slowly turned.

His gaze swept across the section occupied by the Count Houses.

Then...

The Duke Houses.

Finally...

The Royal Family.

A confident smile appeared on his face.

”I’m sure... most of you already believe the Number One position belongs to one of your families.”

His eyes quietly rested upon the holographic ranking board.

He slowly raised one finger.

Pointing directly toward the empty first position.

”But...”

His smile widened.

”I’m declaring it here today. I’ll be the one standing above every single one of you.”

His finger remained fixed on the golden number one.

”Above all of you spoiled princes... and spoiled princesses... who’ve never truly experienced how harsh the world can be.”

His calm voice echoed throughout the hall.

”I’ll be Number One.”

Silence.

The enormous hall became deathly quiet.

Not a single person spoke.

Even the professors remained still.

For one brief moment...

Everyone simply stared at Maxwell.

Then...

”Pfft!”

Someone failed to hold back their laughter.

Another followed.

Soon...

”Hahaha!”

”Hahahaha!”

”Hahaha!”

Laughter exploded throughout the hall.

Almost every direction echoed with amusement.

Many lower-ranking nobles laughed openly.

Children from wealthy merchant families couldn’t stop smiling.

Even a few attendants standing at the back quietly covered their mouths.

The mockery hanging in the air couldn’t have been more obvious.

”Who does this brat think he is?”

”Hahaha!”

”He wants to become Number One?”

”He’s completely delusional!”

”Now that’s confidence.”

”Confidence?”

Another student laughed louder.

”That’s arrogance.”

”A commoner actually dares to challenge the Duke Houses and The Royals?”

”Hahaha!”

Although...

Not everyone laughed.

A few students quietly continued observing Maxwell.

”He was kind of cool...”

One girl whispered.

Her friend immediately rolled her eyes.

”Cool? More like suicidal.”

At the podium...

The professor resisted the urge to rub his forehead.

Just moments earlier...

He had concluded that Maxwell had already attracted enough dangerous attention simply by revealing himself as Andraver’s disciple.

Now...

The boy had somehow managed to provoke nearly every powerful noble family in the Kingdom, even the members of the Royal family.

His situation had become even worse.

Helplessly...

The professor glanced toward the Vice Head Master.

To his surprise...

The elderly man was quietly laughing to himself.

The professor blinked once, then quickly composed himself.

”...”

He let out a quiet sigh.

”Quiet.”

His voice boomed throughout the hall.

It was so powerful that it completely drowned out the laughter.

The entire hall instantly became silent once more.

Only a few faint whispers remained.

The professor looked toward Maxwell.

”Student Maxwell. If you have no further questions... please take your seat.”

Maxwell simply nodded.

”I don’t have any more.”

Without the slightest sign of embarrassment...

He calmly sat back down.

It was as though the overwhelming ridicule he had just received meant absolutely nothing to him.

The professor slowly nodded.

”Good.”

He waved one hand.

The holographic display immediately changed to the next slide.

”Now...let us continue.”

Several rows away...

Felix frowned deeply.

His eyes remained fixed on Maxwell.

”Who does that maggot think he is?”

He muttered coldly.

Beside him...

Gareth smiled gently.

He casually placed a hand on Felix’s shoulder.

”Easy now. The kid’s simply enjoying his youth.”

A kick suddenly landed against the back of Gareth’s chair.

Thump.

Page looked at him with a teasing grin.

”You’re talking like you’re some old man. We’re all kids here.”

Gareth looked over his shoulder with a relaxed smile on his face.

”And yet... you’re still sitting behind us. Why though?”

Page rolled her eyes dramatically.

”Tracy went to sit with Linda and Young Lord Veda. Priscilla’s sitting beside that boy named Nate. And Lyra...”

She smirked.

”...is with you-know-who.”

Gareth chuckled softly.

Then...

His eyes quietly drifted back toward Maxwell.

Felix still hadn’t calmed down.

”We need to find out exactly who Andraver is.”

His voice remained filled with irritation.

Page rested her chin on one hand.

”Feeling threatened... by a commoner?”

She teased.

Felix clicked his tongue.

”It’s impossible for an ordinary commoner to receive a Royal Academy recommendation slot. Passing the entrance examination is completely impossible in the first place, for any commoner maggot to pass. While recommendation letters are reserved for people with status.”

He looked toward the Duke House section.

”Within all Duke, Count and High-Ember families... Only Mainline children normally receive those positions.”

His eyes briefly moved toward Ezra’s direction.

”...Circumstances are the only reason some certain Lowline pests ended up here.”

Page quietly shrugged.

”I’m sure... many people are thinking exactly the same thing.”

Gareth slowly nodded.

His eyes shifted toward the Fifth Prince seated among the Royal Family.

The prince sat with one leg crossed over the other.

His arms remained folded.

The disgust in his eyes as he looked toward Maxwell was impossible to miss.

This first year...

Gareth smiled faintly.

...is going to be very interesting.

He looked toward Maxwell once more.

I wonder how long you’ll be able to keep it together...

...mysterious commoner.

Then...

His gaze slowly shifted again.

Toward Ezra.

Several unnoticed eyes had quietly been watching the Ashenlocke rising star ever since the briefing began.

Gareth’s smile widened slightly.

And you as well...

Ezra Ashenlocke.

Far more people are watching you than you realize, and I’m really looking forward to seeing whether you’ll still remain this calm...

...after spending a few months inside the Royal Academy.